Abstract

The purpose of this paper is (1) to review the diverse suggestions about parenting behaviors based on the developmental approach over the past few years, (2) to explicate the characteristics of a parent-child reationship in Korean family through the cross-cultural perspectives, and (3) to discuss the observable changing patterns of a parent-child relationship in postmodern society. According to the written records the characteristic of a parent-child relationship in Korean family was still summarized 'Om bu-Ja mo'. It means strict father, benevolent mother. Devotion to child is a very important element in both father and mother in Korean society. Korean mother shows her devotion to child through indulgence. In a father-child relationship, devotion is complemented with strictness. The general pattern of parenting in Korean family is similiar with the mixed type of authoritative & authoriatiran attitude. Interestingly core concept sustaining the parent-child relationship have not changed significantly, although social change has radically altered the social ecology in Korea in recent years. This paper concluded The traditional features and mechanisms of a parent-child relationship such as filial piety, parent-child attachment, parent-child oneness still remain strong and influence pervasively over the generations in Korean family.